Iran's negotiators spent a third day in Doha.

Iranian negotiators were in Doha on Sunday for a third consecutive day of talks with Qatari mediators, aimed at a deal to end the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, an official briefed on the discussions told Reuters. The talks come as the conflict could escalate again after Tuesday’s midterm elections. President Trump has said the United States will not launch new attacks on Iran before the vote and that talks with Tehran have been productive, though he has not ruled out further military action afterward.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Sunday that the purpose of the “ongoing and progressing” talks was to continue consultations with the Qatari mediators, and that Tehran is prepared for “both defence and diplomacy.” He told state media that discussions of a “two-day proposal” were continuing and that no final conclusion had been reached. Al Jazeera, quoted by Reuters, reported that Araqchi said Saturday that Iranian and Qatari negotiators had developed a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days of a potential agreement with Washington. That is a proposal. It is not an open strait.

Both defence and diplomacy.

Iran has said it would answer any new attacks by striking U.S. and Israeli targets in neighboring countries. The war is in its eighth month. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday ordered the armed forces to be prepared for any attack, and the military later said it was strengthening its readiness. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that Trump has not decided whether to launch new strikes, but would prefer to resolve the conflict diplomatically. Qatari mediators were in Tehran on Friday before the talks moved to Doha on Saturday. An official told Reuters the contacts were being coordinated with Washington.

The photograph is Oct. 26, a street in Tehran. Majid Asgaripour made it for WANA, via Reuters. Drivers pass a banner of Mojtaba Khamenei. It is not Doha. The negotiators are not in this frame.